System for providing onsite, on-demand ear tag printing for livestock operations

ABSTRACT

A system for providing end-users with, and with the ability to produce, customized, individually variable plastic tags for use in livestock management operations. The present system eliminates the need for factory production of customized ear tags (with the inherently required order lead time), reduces the likelihood of waste through over-ordering and the inconvenience of shortages, and provides near infinite flexibility in selecting the indicia which will appear on any given ear tag or batch of ear tags. The present method will provide end-users with greater flexibility, more useful end products, all at potential cost savings through resulting efficiencies.

[0001] This is a continuation application with respect to co-pendingU.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/883,115, filed Jun. 15, 2001, fromwhich priority is claimed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 120.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] Applicant's invention relates to apparatuses and methods formanufacturing ear tags for the cattle industry and similar applications.

[0004] 2. Background Information

[0005] The United States Beef Industry annually markets approximately 24million animals to supply both domestic and foreign demand for safe,high quality beef. These animals are fed in thousands of confinementfeeding operations (“feed lots”) scattered across the country. Whilemany of these operations are small (less than 4000 head) a vast majority(over 75%) of cattle sold pass through larger commercial operations(over 4000 head).

[0006] These larger facilities are characterized by multiple owners ofthe cattle throughout the feed lot(s), which mixture creates a need foridentification of cattle, or groups of cattle, in a quick and easilydistinguished manner. The plastic ear-tag industry arose to meet suchneeds.

[0007] Historically, cattle groups have been rather simply distinguishedeither by color-coding with ear-tags or more commonly by hot-stampingpen or lot numbers on an ear-tag prior to attaching the tag to ananimal. The hot-stamp machines are typically provided by the tagmanufacturer to the feed lot for use on-site.

[0008] Quality initiatives and more focused management within the BeefIndustry have led to the practice of individually identifying animals,even within ownership groupings. To meet this trend, tag manufactureshave, at their factories, been sequentially numbering ear tags withhot-stamping machines for their customers. This practice has witnessedexponential growth since the early 1990's. Continued growth in thisfield is forecast and is an almost certainty as Beef producers continueto seek improvement in animal performance, genetic makeup of theirherds, source verification, and management of their business. Whilestriving for these objectives, producers must provide the public withassurance as to the safety and quality of their end product. Thisnecessitates user friendly, economical, humane and visibleidentification. The sequentially numbered ear-tag adequately fills thisrole.

[0009] Existing, available sequential ear tag numbering machines arelarge, complex and expensive, all of which attributes have precludedtheir use “in the field”. Therefore, feed lots currently rely on customprinting of their sequential tags. This causes extra management andcosts due to customization, ordering, lead times, and inventorymanagement. There exists a long felt, but unsatisfied need to be able toproduce custom ear tags at the feed lot and dispense with the need forpre-made ear-tags.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved businessmethod for supplying printed plastic ear tags for livestockidentification and management to end users.

[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a methodfor producing on-site, on-demand, individually customized plasticidentification tags, principally for use by livestock managementfacilities.

[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a systemand related method for producing plastic identification tags for use inlivestock management.

[0013] It is another object of the present invention to provide a systemand related method for producing plastic identification tags for use inlivestock management, which system, by providing on-site, on-demandproduction of customizable tags, eliminates lead time in acquiring tagsneeded for livestock identification operations.

[0014] It is another object of the present invention to provide a systemand related method for producing plastic identification tags for use inlivestock management, which system, by providing on-site, on-demandproduction of customizable tags, substantially eliminates waste causedby over-ordering of factory-produced tags, as well as shortages causedby under-ordering.

[0015] It is another object of the present invention to provide a systemand related method for producing plastic identification tags for use inlivestock management, which system, by providing on-site, on-demandproduction of customizable tags, produced through use of softwarecapable of generating essentially unlimited combinations ofalpha-numeric and graphical indicia, allows for users to easilycustomize information, as well as depict multiple, variable informationfields on any given identification tag.

[0016] It is another object of the present invention to provide a systemand related method for producing plastic identification tags for use inlivestock management, which system, by providing on-site, on-demandproduction of customizable tags, substantially reduces costs toend-users of obtaining customized, individually variable ear tags forlivestock management purposes

[0017] In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant'spresent invention provides a system and method for providing end-userswith, and with the ability to produce, customized, individually variableplastic tags for use in livestock management operations. The presentmethod eliminates the need for factory production of customized ear tags(with the inherently required order lead time), reduces the likelihoodof waste through over-ordering and the inconvenience of shortages, andprovides near infinite flexibility in selecting the indicia which willappear on any given ear tag or batch of ear tags. The present methodwill provide end-users with greater flexibility, more useful endproducts, all at potential cost savings through resulting efficiencies.

[0018] Despite the obvious impetus for providing some method by whichindividually customized ear tags may be produced on-site and on-demandat feed lot operations, the solution (as provided by the method of thepresent invention) has not been obvious and is nowhere to be found inthe livestock industry.

[0019] For the first time, the present inventors have assembled thenecessary components and methodology to permit on-site, on-demandproduction of large or small numbers of identification tags for cattle,each one of which can be individually customized within the limits ofthe computer software that controls that which is printed on the tag(sequential numbers, bar codes, owner logos, distinguishing routinginformation, dates of arrival or intended departure, veterinaryinformation, and so on).

[0020] Little of the individual components of the present system andmethods are new, but the assemblage of elements and the methods ofbusiness which are achievable through their collective use representhighly beneficial, long-needed solutions to old and growing problems.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] The system of the present invention, at its most basic level,involves a indicia printing stage, application of indicia to tag blankstage, and a image stabilization stage.

[0022] With respect to generating the indicia which will appear on acompleted identification tag (such as that indicating livestockownership, intended routing or processing, source verification, healthstatus, and even quarantine status in some cases), the present systemsand methods represent a departure from the conventional hot stamp imagedeposition processes of the existing cattle ear tag industry, wherebyheated, metallic image blocks (having letters, numbers, or othercharacters in relief thereon) are pressed onto tag blanks withintervening colored film to deeply impress a colored image onto theblank. This conventional method is largely inflexible in terms ofindicia which is printed, all but eliminates other than factory-basedproduction (the opposite of on-site, on-demand), involves somewhatdangerous production equipment, and requires considerable lead time inacquiring needed supplies of custom-printed tags.

[0023] The primary method by which identification tags are producedwithin the scope of the present invention involves producing tagsthrough use of lamination films on an interior, adhesion face of whichis printed (in reverse) the desired indicia for a completed tag, ratherthan printing the indicia directly on the tag blanks themselves as willbe described below.

[0024] The indicia is printed in reverse on the lamination film suchthat, when the film is applied to tag blanks, the indicia appearscorrectly to viewers who will view the indicia from and through theouter, non-adhesion surface of the lamination films on the finished tag.Examples of such lamination films are those available from theAvery-Dennison company of Ohio. Printing the indicia in this manner mayinvolve either fluid jet printing as described below, or may involve theuse of a chemical or thermal reaction-based “printing” of the image onthe film as is an intended feature of the film itself.

[0025] Once a segment of lamination film is “printed” according to theappropriate method, it is applied to tag blanks and adhered to the tagblank in the hereafter described “welding” process, or as is prescribedby the manufacturer.

[0026] An alternative method for creating the indicia for a completedidentification tag under the present invention is based upon ink jetprinting technology (or similar, graphically unrestricted ink/paintdeposition technology [hereafter sometimes referred to collectively as“fluid jet” technology]) with a specially adapted printer for, asneeded, holding individual tags for printing, or with feeding magazineand conveyor mechanisms for automatically generating sequential tagswithout user loading and unloading of the tags. No specific example ofsuch a modified printer is shown in this specification, nor need one be.It is well within the ability of anyone skilled in the design of mediaconveyance in the context of computer printers to construct or adapt amedia carriage apparatus for carrying plastic ear tag blanks to theproper position in/near an ink jet computer printer for printing,holding the tag in the proper position during printing, and thereaftercarrying the printed tag away to, for example, a collection bin.Thereafter, the process is repeated for successive tags which are“loaded” into such an apparatus.

[0027] While the use of ink jet type printing provides completeflexibility in selecting and arranging to-be-printed images (through useof the software to be described below), it does not, immediately uponprinting, provide as durable an image as that provided by conventionalhot stamp processes as mentioned above. Ink jet or paint jet images willsimply wear off after a time through mechanical abrasion and/or exposureto water, UV, or chemicals. Accordingly, the present method alsoprovides for “welding” the printed images through use of a laminatingprocess.

[0028] A lamination or “welding” process which is equally useful insecuring a fluid jet printed image which is applied directly to a tagblank, or to securing printed lamination film into a tag blank, involvesa heat press process. For “welding” a fluid jet printed image onto aplastic tag blank, one first places a segment of polyester film (72gauge/19 microns for the preferred mode of the present process) over theprinted image. As applicable, the polyester film (or printed laminationfilm) is, in the preferred mode of the present process, in the form ofan elongate strip which will pass linearly through a processing machineas sequential tags are processed and serves as a carrier to moveprocessed tags from the machine to a collecting bin.

[0029] To the juxtaposed polyester film (or printed lamination film) andprinted plastic tag blank is pressed a heated platen. The preferred modeof the present process involves using an aluminum platen which is coatedwith a 0.125 thick, 60 durometer silicone coating. The coated platen isto be heated to between 350° F. and 400° F. and pressed against thefilm/tag pairing using approximately 20 pounds of pressure.

[0030] The present inventors have discovered that the described“welding” process melts a small amount of a plastic tag's polyurethanematerial. This small portion of polyurethane (trapped by the overlyingpolyester or printed lamination film) disperses over the surface of thetag, including, as applicable, that portion with the ink jet-printedimage. After heat and pressure is removed, this dispersed polyurethanesolidifies as a substantially impermeable coating over the printedimage, thereby rendering the image virtually as durable as the plastictag member itself. In cases of using the printed lamination film, thedurable image with appropriate carrier material is likewise “welded” tothe tag blank.

[0031] The indicia which is generated in the production of plastic eartags as prescribed by the present system and methods (whether printed onlamination film, or directly onto plastic tag blanks) is controlled bysoftware, any number of examples of which are readily available in themarketplace.

[0032] The preferred software for use with the present method issoftware which allows on-screen formatting of alpha-numeric charactersand graphical images within a user-definable print media area. The printmedia area can be made to correspond to the dimensions of theto-be-printed space on plastic ear tag blanks which are to be processedwith the present system.

[0033] Preferably, the software used will also include features forautomatically generating a succession of numbers and/or letters (a“counter feature”) which may be activated in a user-defined field withinthe print media area, such that the number and/or letter combination ofeach succeeded tag within a group of printed tags will automaticallyadvance according to user-defined parameters and will be printed as suchonto the respective tag blanks. The software should, as used in apreferred mode of the present method, include the capability ofgenerating bar codes which correspond to information which is eitherelsewhere printed on the tag blanks in human perceptible form, or tooff-tag information which is separately imported data which is accessedby the software.

[0034] Furthermore, an ideal software package for the present methodwould be one which permits a user to import digital representations ofgraphical images (such as logos) into the print media area through useof optical scanners which are ported to the software, or by simplyloading graphical files (.jpg, .bmp., mix, etc.) from disks or similarmedia. Of course, any reasonably user-friendly software will, as mostanalogous packages do have an on-screen representation of theto-be-printed end product (a plastic ear tag for present purposes).

[0035] Just as software for printing documents, greeting cards,prescription labels, and so on, include the appropriate line advancecodes to correspond to the size of the to-be-printed media, so to willthe software for the present system include the necessary controlfeatures for limiting printing within desired bounds on any single tagblank, and appropriately advancing the media carriage mechanism to bringthe next to-be-printed tag bank into position for printing.

[0036] The preferred mode of the present methods and systems will, ascost considerations dictate, automate so much of the steps as possible.This may include, in some embodiments of the present system, apparatusfor carrying printed tags directly from the printer to a hot stamplamination press which employs the “welding” method described above. Ofcourse, cost considerations may dictate that a simple, manual-feeddevice for laminating the printed tags be used. Clearly, a machine wouldbe easily constructed which includes an orifice through which a tagblank and printed lamination film combination (or fluid jet-printed tag)is inserted with actuation mechanisms which, upon such insertion,actuate apparatuses within the machine which apply (as applicable) theprescribed polyester film, as well as effect the heat and pressureneeded for “welding” the finished product.

[0037] The present system and related business method are expected torevolutionize the feed lot industry as relates to the use of plastic eartag for cattle identification. No more need feed lot operators buy moretags, nor risk buying fewer tags, than they need in any given instance.No more need operators limit themselves to a single identificationscheme on individual ear tags because of the very high relative costs ofmultiple, variable information fields thereon, when produced throughconventional means. No more need operators try to prognosticate theirneeds days and weeks in advance, particularly for customized taginformation. When feed lot operators adopt the business method andassociated systems of the present invention, ear tag manufacturers willevolve into suppliers, primarily of ear tag blanks, not of printed tagswhich are ready for use.

[0038] The present method and system will reduce waste and allow forimmediate correction of errors in tag information, or for updatinginformation as changes occur (such as in livestock ownership, intendedrouting or processing, health status, and even quarantine status in somecases).

[0039] Although the invention has been described with reference tocertain specific characteristics or features of preferred embodiments,this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense.Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well asalternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent topersons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description of theinvention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims willcover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.

We claim:
 1. A system for producing on-site, on-demand production ofindividually customized identification tags at livestock facilitiescomprising: a plurality of tag blanks as substrates for production ofsaid identification tags; tab lamination material having an adhesionside and an opposite, non-adhesion side, said adhesion side beingconfigured for producing indicia, visible from said non-adhesion side,upon processing by a lamination material printing apparatus, said taglamination material being sized and shaped for application to said tagblanks; a lamination material printer apparatus for effecting saidproducing of indicia on said lamination material, said laminationmaterial printer apparatus being operably interfaced with a computerwith software executable on said computer, said software for controllingprinting by said lamination printer apparatus onto said adhesion side ofsaid lamination material, said lamination printer apparatus having afilm positioning apparatus for positioning said lamination material intoposition relative to said lamination printer apparatus for a printingapparatus of said lamination printer apparatus to apply printed imagesonto said lamination material, said printed images being controlled bysaid software; a lamination material application apparatus configuredfor durably applying said lamination material to one or more said tagblanks after producing indicia thereon through operation of saidlamination printer apparatus.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein saidsoftware includes user-actuatable features for selecting variableindicia for printing onto said lamination material.
 3. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said software includes printer control features,customized via a graphical user interface, for selecting and arrangingindicia which said lamination printer apparatus will, upon actuation bysaid computer, print onto a said lamination material which is positionedfor printing by said film positioning apparatus.
 4. A system forproviding on-site, on-demand production of individually customizedidentification tags at livestock facilities comprising: a fluid jetprinter apparatus and a operably interfaced computer with softwareexecutable on said computer, said software for controlling printing bysaid fluid jet printer onto print media, said fluid jet printer having atag positioning apparatus for positioning a first tag blank intoposition relative to said fluid jet printer for a printing apparatus ofsaid fluid jet printer to apply printed images onto said tag blank, saidprinted images being controlled by said software; a tab laminationapparatus for applying a protective, substantially transparent barrieratop a printed image on a said tag blank for protecting said printedimage from abrasion or chemical alteration.
 5. The system of claim 4wherein said software includes user-actuatable features for selectingvariable indicia for printing onto said tag blanks.
 6. The system ofclaim 4 wherein said software includes printer control features,customized via a graphical user interface, for selecting and arrangingindicia which said fluid jet printer will, upon actuation by saidcomputer, print onto a said tag blank which is positioned for printingby said tag positioning apparatus.